A Black Supernova
by ScarlettPevenslyWoodrow
Summary: Violetta Nova Black was the younger sister of Sirius Orion Black and Regulus Arcturus Black but she wasn't brave and reckless like Sirius or Quiet and Cunning like Regulus, she was just Nova- a star that releases a tremendous burst of energy, becoming temporarily extraordinarily bright, but every star either becomes a supernova or a black hole...
1. When It Is Dark Enough

So haven't posted a story in long…APOLOGIES alright? I know I am an awful person. I write stories, never finish them, then give up and delete them…

HOWEVER.

I have really gotten into Harry Potter recently and as of such, the black family, because Sirius Black is one of my favourite characters out of the whole phenomenon and because they really weren't explored in depth enough in my opinion…

So this is my _attempt_ at writing a fanfiction. I have obviously done it before but not for like 2 years but I'm hoping it's like riding a bike…

I will try and update as regularly as possible but one thing I don't want to do is abandon the story before it is complete so if I do get writers block (which will probably happen) don't give up on me…I WILL BE BACK.

Anyway, here's my summary…

_Violetta Nova Black was the younger sister of Sirius Orion Black and Regulus Arturus Black but she wasn't brave and reckless like Sirius or Quiet and Cunning like Regulus, she was just Nova- a star that releases a tremendous burst of energy, becoming temporarily extraordinarily bright, but every star either becomes a supernova or a black hole, the same situation applies in the Black Family. _

**AN: I own nothing. JK ROWLING does and I must admit I am extremely jealous **** I'm just using her characters… **

**This is rated M. don't like it? Don't read. Flame me if you must, but at least make it constructive. **

**Chapter 1: **_When it is dark enough, you can see the stars. _

Violetta or 'Lettie', as Sirius and Regulus affectionately called her, snoozed peacefully in her four poster bed. Sun had only just risen above the jagged roofs of a grey, London skyline and the condensation on the windows cast shadows of dew specs across the room, making the room seem to glitter. A peaceful morning, only to be ruined by Sirius of course….

"Lettie, come downstairs or I'll tell Kreacher to give me your breakfast!" Sirius shouted at her door as he flew past and ran down the stairs.

His voice and loudness was only followed by their Mothers scolding of Sirius,

"Must you shout? AND DON'T RUN. Blacks don't run, they glide…" Mother reprimanded Sirius. Lettie could hear an argument heating up so roused herself out of a comfortable snooze and summoned an elf to help her dress.

Kreacher may have been the head house elf, but most pureblood families had more than just one house elf at their disposal. Flicky, the youngest house elf, appeared. He was small and rather rabbit looking with large front teeth and extremely floppy ears, but Lettie enjoyed his company as he seemed to only ever want to care for her. The vain Black within her smirked at this thought.

"What does young Mistress want with Flicky?" Flicky asked, bowing low to her. Lettie sat up from her bed and got out of it, walking towards the window to look out.

"It's my birthday today Flicky, I'm 13 today, I wish to dress in my green robes with the black velvet bow and moss green lace trimming, also, brush my hair, I slept with it wet and it's all a mess" Lettie demanded.

Like most purebloods, she ordered the elf to do her bidding with no please or thank you, however, unlike most purebloods, she smiled at the elf and treated him with kindness. A very _UN black_ thing to do. Even Sirius, the bloodtraiter, treated most elfs with disdain and he was supposed to be the good one.

Flicky snapped his fingers and the green dress robes shot out of the wardrobe in her room and neatly placed themselves on her bed. After dressing, Lettie directed the elf with what to do with her hair, which she thought she would leave long and curly but brush it and add a black bow at the back of her head, keeping a few stray tendrils away from her face.

Before appearing downstairs however, she did a once over in the mirror.

She had definitely developed the black beauty. Aristocratic features like a sharp nose and high cheekbones, heavy lidded eyes framed with thick eyelashes and shading the swirling grey eyes behind them, adorned her face. Thick and rich black hair flowed beautifully to her waist which was curly like her cousin Bellatrix's. Everyone always commented on how alike they look, it scared Lettie, because Bellatrix scared Lettie.

She noticed that recently she had started filling out as well. Now beneath her robes she could see her hip curves becoming more prominent and her breasts had doubled from last years A cup to a very respectable B cup. Even her posterior had filled out more which she was most upset about as her Mother always commented on her weight gain. Never anything horrifically nasty, but more worrying…

It would be hints about marriage and children like,

"Most pureblood families look for women with large hips for bearing strong sons"

Or

"Purebloods would never go for girls with weak forms"

Lettie knew that she would get the marriage talk first. Sirius could have anyone, Reggie was highly sought after as well and because she was a black and sister to the heir, so was she. But she was a girl and the girls sell first.

After fretting about her appearance for another minute or so, Lettie made her way downstairs slowly, bumping into Reggie on the way down, who embraced her in a warm hug with a smile,

"Happy Birthday Lettie, my present is downstairs and be careful with Sirius's, I have no idea what it is but its Sirius so be careful" He chuckled but with general worry about his sister.

Regulus and Violetta were closer than Sirius and Violetta. They agreed more and rarely fought, they were the perfect pureblood children. The perfect _Slytherin_ pureblood children.

Quiet, Respectable, Ambitious and Demure.

Sirius was a Gryffindor.

Loud, Rambunctious, Rude and Cheeky.

However, Violetta did love Sirius, she just wished he would act like the Heir of the Noble and Most Ancient House of Black should.

Violetta made her way to the Parlour where her gifts were waiting for her. They were all beautifully wrapped and presented in front of the fire place which was crackling softly. Sirius was sat in an armchair across from their parents, a scowl etched on his face. She could feel the room was quite tense so she assumed they had just had an argument.

However, today was her day and Sirius arguing and getting punished by their Parents was nothing new.

"Good Morning Father, Good Morning Mother" She said softly while curtsying to them as a proper young lady should to her parents. Her Father nodded at her politely and her Mother nodded her head in return.

Then she turned to Sirius and curtsied to her Brother, "Morning Brother".

As Sirius was the Heir, all the girls of their generation had to curtsy to Sirius as he would be the next Head of House and Pureblood Culture expected it. All the Heirs of Houses got curtsied too; it was just the done thing.

Sirius grinned at her, "Open mine first!"

Lettie smiled at him and replied, "Like you would let me open any other first anyway!"

Sirius just smirked back at her.

Regulus then entered the room. Bowed to their Parents and nodded his head at his Brother. He was son of the House of Black; he didn't need to bow to Sirius.

Lettie, feeling she had waited long enough, made her towards Sirius's present. She picked it up and started un doing the wrapper.

She screamed.

"A TOAD? YOU GOT ME A TOAD?" She was horrified. She looked inside the box she had just un wrapped and there sat, looking at her with big, watery eyes, was the ugliest thing she had ever seen.

Uglier than Kreacher.

She looked at her Brother in disgust, "Why Sirius?"

Sirius merely waved it off with a laugh, "It was just a joke present, and I actually just transfigured your cat"

"YOU WHAT? YOU ARE SUCH A-"Before she could say anymore, her Mother crossed the room, mumbled a spell at the Toad and it morphed back into a cat. The cat then hissed at Sirius and darted upstairs. Her Mother was furious.

"Sirius, is that anyway for an heir to be acting? You disgrace this family so much! Why can't you just behave? Giving your sister her cat transfigured into a toad for her birthday is disgusting behaviour, no better than what a filthy mudblood would do. Control yourself Boy or I will do it for you" She spat at Sirius, making him scowl at her and at a visibly upset Lettie.

"It was just a joke Mother, it's not my fault Lettie takes things so seriously" He pointed out.

"Violetta acts like a proper pureblood, Regulus acts like a proper pureblood" She seethed "YOU! YOU DON'T ACT YOUR OWN AGE, LET ALONE LIKE A PUREBLOOD" she yelled.

Sirius just shifted uncomfortable in his seat then stood up, walked over to his sister and bowed low to her.

"Dear Sister, forgive me for upsetting you on your birthday, I was merely trying to entertain you. Obviously our humour is different, I apologise for the upset" He said to her softly. Sirius used the black charm and suave to console his sister who nodded at him then just shook her head gracefully as if to start a fresh.

At least he apologised like a gentleman.

"Its fine Brother" She said shortly. "Reg, I will open yours now I think and leave Father and Mothers till the end"

After her presents had been opened, the black family adjourned for Breakfast. Orion sat at the Head with Sirius to his right and Reggie to his left, Walburga sat at the foot of the table with Violetta to her right. They all ate silently, sometimes with Orion or Walburga discussing something but never with the children. Even on Lettie's birthday.

Children must be seen and not heard, unless asked a direct question.

Afterwards, the children were dismissed by their parents. However Reggie and Lettie couldn't leave until Sirius went, as the heir went first, then the other sons if there were any others, then the girls would be able to leave. At large parties, this was adopted as well, which Lettie hated. Until all the men had left the table she could be sat there for hours having finished her food but she couldn't leave unless everyone complained about her rudeness.

Sirius stood up, bowed low to their Parents then invited his siblings to a game of Quidditch before they headed off to the Ball Uncle Cygnus and Aunt Druella were throwing in Lettie's honour.

"We haven't got a whole team Sirius" Reggie commented as they headed towards the back garden.

The back garden was in fact a very small stretch of garden, expanded with magic so that it was almost 20 times its size. It did look very strange but most things in the wizarding world were strange.

Sirius shrugged and replied, "Alright well how about someone can be keeper, someone be a chaser and someone be a beater….I'll be the beater!" He added quickly.

Regulus rolled his eyes and turned to his younger sister.

"Lettie, would you like to be Chaser or Keeper?"

Lettie looked unsure at her brother. She wasn't a huge fan of Quidditch but she had nothing better to do, however she really couldn't let Mother or Father see her playing because she was a pureblood lady and they didn't just hitch up their skirts and ride brooms.

But it was her birthday and she felt adventurous.

"Urm…chaser!" shouted Lettie quickly. Regulus smiled at her graciously and summoned a house elf to bring 3 brooms.

Bitsie, who was an ailing house elf and whom Mother was thinking of 'retiring' soon, appeared with Sirius and Regulus own brooms and a spare one for Lettie.

After mounting the brooms, they flew into positions and prepared themselves to start the match. Lettie's long skirts made riding the broom difficult unless she side mounted the broom but doing that would make her un easy on the broom and she already had horrendous balance on the 'stupid wooden sticks' she muttered.

Instead, her only option was to hitch up her long skirts to her waist and play with her pantaloons on show.

Reggie saw her debate with herself over what to do and called out, "just get on the broom Lettie, me and Sirius are not going to be bothered if you display yourself, we are your brothers after all" with that he winked and smiled at her.

Lettie grinned back and tucking her skirts into the black ribbon tied around her waist, mounted the broom before taking up her position.

As the game got into play, Lettie actually started enjoying herself. It was rare moments like these when the 3 of them could just act like siblings spending time together rather than 3 pureblood children of the noble and most ancient house of black.

With every turn, swerve, dive and duck, Lettie felt her propriety and manners slip from her and before she knew it, her hair had become loose and turned into a birds nest, her dress had rips and tears in it and her face was muddy from being too close to the floor and a muddy puddle which Sirius had whacked a bludger into.

She was laughing the kind of laughter that only siblings could derive from each other.

As the game intensified, she noticed the competiveness between Sirius and Reggie peak. Both of them wanting to out-do the other. Every time Sirius tried to bat the bludger threw a hole, Reggie would be there like a lightning strike. It happened with Reggie as well, every time Reggie would defend a hoop, Sirius would aim another bludger at another hoop, all this in quick succession. Lettie felt herself be left out of the game because of it.

Suddenly, Sirius whacked a bludger and it hit Reg square on the jaw.

"REGGIE!" Lettie screamed. Regulus jaw was sticking out at an odd angle. He flew to the floor and stumbled off his broom, clutching his jaw in agony. Not crying of course as blacks never cry in front of company, but still in obvious agony none the less.

Sirius and Lettie also flew to the ground. Lettie ran over to Regulus.

"Reg, come on, come inside…Kreacher!Oh god Sirius, what have you done!? KREACHER!" Lettie screamed while helping a pained Regulus inside Grimmauld Place.

Kreacher appeared as they entered the kitchen bowing low, his ugly head bumping the floor as he did so, Sirius snickered but Lettie smacked his arm.

"Kreacher, heal Regulus's Jaw!" She demanded, worrying about the fact that their parents could walk through the door at any time and witness Reg with a broken jaw and bruised face, her looking so un ladylike she might as well be a house elf and Sirius just being Sirius. Mother would erupt.

Kreacher set to the task of healing Regulus's face.

"Master Regulus face is better now. Master Sirius has no shame; my poor mistress would be angered by the blood traitor not acting like the head…MISTRESS…MISTRESS!" Kreacher started shouting when he realised that he could gain by Sirius's misfortune.

Sirius and Kreacher had always hated each other for as long as Lettie could remember. She thought it was petty, the fact her older brother waged war on a house elf; however at this moment in time, she wanted nothing more than to punch Kreacher in his ugly head.

"Shh Kreacher, please, Shh…" she pleaded with him, disgusted with herself for pleading with a house elf but better that than their Mother finding her like this.

"SHUT UP KREACHER, YOU VILE TOAD, SHUT UP" Sirius ordered, "OR I WILL BE 'RETIRING' YOU EARLY!"

However, all her pleading and all Sirius's death threats to the elf didn't stop him 'popping' upstairs to tell their Mother, which is exactly what he did. Kreacher may have to obey orders from members of the house of black, but his Mistress's order came above his younger masters and mistress's orders.

Mistress had ordered him to keep an eye on her Kreacher and report to her what they were doing. Walburga knew her children well, Regulus and Lettie may be good children but they can be easily swayed by their older brother.

Suddenly, appearing in the door way was their Mother.

"HOW DARE YOU!? FIRSTLY YOU INSULT YOUR SISTER BY GIVING HER A STUPID PRESENT AND NOW YOU PURPOSELY INJURE YOUR BROTHER? IS THEIR NO END TO YOUR STUPIDITY BOY? "She shouted at Sirius, so close in his face, Lettie thought Sirius might go deaf.

Regulus has just been observing the whole situation so far, he knew Sirius did what he did on purpose and although he was completely healed, he still wanted some form of payback.

This could work…

Lettie was shaking. Mother hadn't noticed her yet but she was bound too…

"MERLIN GIRL, WHAT DO YOU LOOK LIKE?" Her Mother's grey eyes locked in onto Lettie and Lettie knew she was in for it.

"WHAT HAS GOTTEN INTO YOU TODAY? THIS MORNING YOU WERE SO LOVELY AND NOW YOU COME IN LOOKING LIKE SOME COMMON MUDBLOOD. A RIPPED DRESS, MESSY HAIR AND…WHAT!...WHAT IS THAT ON YOUR FACE?"

Lettie had never seen their Mother so angry. Her normally perfectly pinned up hair had become looser due to her shouting so intensely and her face had done all blotchy and red.

Walburga hadn't finished though.

"Regulus, you may leave" She said quietly but snappily to her middle child, dismissing him.

Regulus stood up, bowed to his Mother, did a mocking bow to Sirius and inclined his head to his sister, leaving Sirius and Lettie with Walburga.

"Such a Slytherin…" Muttered Sirius, unfortunately their Mother heard him.

"SUCH A SLYTHERIN? WELL AT LEAST HE IS ONE, YOU UNGRATEFUL CHILD!" Their Mother roared.

"REALLY MOTHER? YOU THINK I CARE? IM A PROUD GRYFFINDOR!" Sirius responded back.

Lettie just stood there, not knowing what to say or what to do, but just trying to not be caught in the firing line.

"A proud Gryffindor huh? Hah! What do Gryffindors have pride for? The fact your entire house in infested with mudbloods and blood traitors?" Mother cackled nastily, sneering at him.

Sirius's face went bright red. Lettie knew Mother had pushed his buttons.

"Better _muggleborns _and blood traitors than snakes and posh twats" Sirius spat back at her.

This time it was Mothers face that went red.

But she didn't shout. Nor did she threaten.

She grabbed Sirius by the hair and dragged him upstairs. Sirius tried to resist but she just shot different curses at him until he complied with her, in too much pain to fight.

Lettie followed them pleading with her Mother.

"Mother, please, not on my birthday, please…I'm sure Sirius didn't mean it!" Lettie felt tears fall down her cheeks.

Mother turned around sharply.

"Shut up Violetta; don't think I haven't forgotten about you either!"

Lettie turned white with panic.

They came to the door that entered Fathers study. The 3 of them only went in there if they had done something _very_ wrong. Sirius, all bloody and bruised, scowled at the door but didn't want to show fear, but Lettie knew how he was feeling, because she felt it too.

"ORION! Come deal with your son!" Their Mother shouted at the door.

Their Father, sat behind his mahogany desk, opened the door with elegant wave of his wand and merely cast an uninterested glance at his battered heir, his enraged wife and his tear stained daughter before replying,

"Come on then boy." He walked toward the doorway, grabbed his son by the shoulder roughly and yanked him in the study, shutting the door with a wave of his wand again. Lettie heard the door lock, _click._

'Be strong Sirius' Violetta prayed.

Then she felt a hand on her shoulder and turned to face her Mother sneering at her.

"If it wasn't your birthday, you would be feeling the cruciatious, however I will not let this slide, you know better. You are banned from flying on brooms again, do you understand?" Mother demanded, glaring at Violetta.

"Yes Mother" Came the small reply. Violetta hung her head and stared at her shoes, she couldn't meet her Mother's eye.

Walburga nodded, "Good, now go upstairs, bathe, get dressed in your dress robes and don't come back down until I order you too" and with that Mother glided off back to the parlour.

Lettie ran upstairs to Regulus's room. Banging on his door, she shout/whispered,

"How could you just run away? You coward! You didn't even say it was an accident…" Before she could finish the sentence, the door opened and Regulus pulled her in roughly, pushing her to the floor,

"Shut up Lettie! Sirius did that on purpose! He wanted to hurt me to make himself look good. I'm not a coward; I'm just not like Sirius. Why are you standing up for him anyways? You think he is as much a blood traitor as I do" He spat down at her.

Lettie picked herself up from the floor and glared at him,

"He is our brother! He's in _fathers study_ Regulus! _Fathers study_!" At the mention of the study, Regulus paled but shook it off almost instantly,

"He deserved it, he doesn't behave the way he should, and you understand Lettie! You've agreed with me on this hundreds of times before!"

"Not this time Brother, Sirius may annoy me and upset me but he is being punished because of both your egos. You egged him on; you made him want to beat you! Don't think I didn't see the rivalry that was exploding from both of you!" Lettie spat at Regulus, fuming with him.

Why on all the days of the year could this have happened on her birthday? Why?

Regulus regarded her coldly.

"Be careful_ Sister_" He hissed "I am superior to you and if need be I will teach you to mind your manners when speaking to me"

Lettie stared at him in shock. Never had Regulus talked to her like that. They had always been the closest. They were always together. They always had the same values and opinions. Now in the course of one morning, he was using his power to over-rule her. She didn't understand.

"Sirius is currently being cursed to within an inch of his life right now thanks to you and your pig-headedness, so unless you change your attitude brother, then I might find myself siding with the blood traitor. Sirius is family and no matter what, we blacks protect our family, apart from cowards like y-…" Before the last word even left her mouth, she felt a sharp sting on her cheek.

Regulus had slapped her. HARD.

Her hand flew to her cheek and she glared at her brother. However her brother was glaring right back at her.

"I warned you Lettie, Side with the blood traitor and you suffer with him, side with the rest of the family and you achieve your aims" Regulus walked to the door and held it open for her, like the gentleman he was just NOT being.

Lettie swept past him in anger, but before turning towards him and replying,

"I think you will find that I can achieve my aims with or without this family's help"

Before the door closed behind her she swore she heard Regulus whisper back,

"Then good luck with being another black sheep"

Lettie heard the door close quietly and she just stood in the hallway in shock. She didn't really know what to think about what had just happened today.

But Lettie had to wonder, what were her aims now? She had always believed in bloody purity and its importance but since Sirius had gone to Hogwarts and become friends with Gryffindors, blood traitors and mudblood Gryffindors, she had started to come to terms with the fact that they shared the wizarding world with them. In Lettie's mind, if the heir accepted them then they must be okay right?

In her mind, everything she believed in could be wrong, but how would she know for sure, unless she befriended a mud blood or a blood traitor?

Then there was Regulus, her darling older brother who she loved the most, had been recently becoming more withdrawn and distant, more _Black_…it frightened her. She was losing her best friend.

With Sirius, she was starting to understand him more, that didn't mean that she didn't think he was a complete fool but she _understood_ him now…

As Lettie entered her own bedroom, she pondered by the window sill, gazing out and thought to herself,

'I need a change. A change of opinion, a change of wardrobe…anything…but how?'

Mentally preparing herself for the ball being thrown later in her honour, Lettie decided that she needed to drastically change her viewpoint otherwise she will be drawn into the endless black problem of…

Do I follow the family?

Or

Do I follow my Heart?

The only issue is, is that every black that choose the second choice got blasted off the family tree and if there one thing the Lettie was scared off the most, it was losing the family honour.

**WELL. **

**Review, Drop me a cheeky message, whatever floats your goat and let me know how my first chapter went…Ill update the second one pretty soon so you can get a general feel for the story…**

**REMEMBER IM A BIT RUSTY SO GIMME SOME TIME OKAY'?**

**CIAO **


	2. I Will Not Bow

AN: I wanted to publish Chapter 2, relatively quickly so that everyone could get a general idea of what's going on…

Chapter 2: I Will Not Bow

Lettie fidgeted in her robes, pulling the skirt and playing with the sleeves. She hated big parties and unfortunately this one was all about her. It was her birthday party but also her coming out ball. Every young, pureblood lady had to have a coming out ball as it showed other good social standing families that she was at an age to be betrothed to one of their sons. It also showed off her as a young lady in general. To be honest, she felt like an animal in a zoo.

She was waiting behind two huge wooden doors before being announced by Uncle Cygnus who would 'introduce' her to society. Lettie fidgeted and was nervous, she wanted to make the right impression but with today having been such an odd day of emotion, she felt very disconnected from a world she once thought she knew.

Finally after what seemed like forever, the 2 doors began opening slowly as she heard her uncle shout,

"Ladies and Gentleman, may I introduce to you, my niece and the youngest girl of the noble and most ancient house of black, Miss Violetta Nova Black"

Lettie walked through the doorway and come to a balcony overlooking a crowd of people. She recognised almost all of them. Graciously she smiled and sank into her best curtsy, rising she snuck a peak at her Mother who was intently staring at her, 'probably making sure I do everything she taught me perfectly' Lettie thought.

Uncle Cygnus offered her his arm to guide her down the winding staircase and she complied elegantly, delicately placing her small hand on his rather large arm. She should've really been introduced by her Father whose responsibility it was to arrange betrothals for her but Black Manor belonged to Uncle Cygnus and he was the host, therefore the responsibility fell to him. Plus he had 3 girls already, he knew how this went.

As she reached the bottom of the stairs, her parents met her there. For once Mother offered her a genuine smile,

"Well done. You were perfect up there, not one toe out of place" Mother said approvingly. Lettie was shocked. Mother rarely praised her children.

Father too seemed proud of her as her grabbed her hand, kissed it and said also,

"Hopefully now we can find you a suitable husband"

Lettie panicked slightly. Husband? Already? She had only just turned 13.

"Not too soon though Father please, I've only just turned 13" She replied quickly. She didn't want marriage on her cards already.

Mother however laughed at her.

"Plenty of the members of this house married young. Your grandfather got married at 13. I myself married at 17, Cygnus, even you married young, and you had Bellatrix at 13 with Druella, did you not?"

Uncle Cygnus replied, "Yes I did"

Uncle Cygnus was a man of few words and rarely elaborated on anything, much to the chagrin of everyone else in the family.

Mother turned her attention back to Lettie.

"See Violetta? 13 really isn't that young. You're not a child anymore; your Father has already begun talks with notable pureblood families"

Lettie looked at her in shock, her hairline producing beads of sweat.

"Really?" She gulped. She took a nervous look around the room.

Many of the families in the room had sons either her age or close enough. But sometimes Fathers could just go for the highest bidder and that could be an aging old fart. She had already begun to attract the attentions of suitors and little did she know that her Father has already narrowed down the suitors to 3 possible gentlemen.

"Of course Lettie, you didn't think we would just let you choose now did you?" Mother laughed at what she thought was a good joke.

Mother then swiftly turned away from her youngest child and started talking to Aunt Lucretia and Mrs Lestrange.

Father and Uncle Cygnus had already left the ballroom with other esteemed gentlemen to sit in Uncle Cygnus study all night, smoke cigars, drink Ogden's finest and toast to their own greatness.

Lettie smirked at this thought. However, she had always been curious about what they talked about behind the closed doors. Therefore, that was how she found herself on her knees, listening at the door that lead into the study, in an empty hallway, the music from the ballroom being only an echo.

She recognised the voices she could hear. Uncle Cygnus and Father were there of course, both her Grandfathers, Uncle Alphard, Mr Lestrange, Mr Malfoy, the minister of magic, Mr Crabbe, Mr Macnair…she thought that probably most of the elder gentleman who were either married or too old to be married now (like Uncle Alphard) were in the study, whereas, all the heirs and wives and their children were most likely at the party.

She listened intently to their conversation. She did feel like she was invading their privacy but the Slytherin in her was just dying to know what was going on behind closed doors.

"So Orion, your youngest, a pretty child, what's she worth?" She heard Mr Lestrange ask. She didn't like any of the Lestranges. Mr Lestrange was a cruel, vile man who thought girls were only good for breeding and was generally extremely biased towards boys. Mrs Lestrange was the same. She had never had girls so therefore knew nothing about them but her viewpoint was the same as her husbands. As for Rodolphus and Rabastan, Lettie disliked both of them immensely as well. Rodolphus had married her cousin Bellatrix and they were both as insane and cruel as the other. Rabastan was quiet and moody but had always had a thing for Lettie. At every party, he wanted her to stay with him and not move from his side, it got annoying after a while so at the last party Lettie attended she sent a bat bogey hex to him sneakily.

Lettie didn't understand what Mr Lestrange meant.

'What's she worth?' She wasn't a possession.

She heard movement, something like someone settling into an armchair and heard her Fathers reply,

"Why Raphael? Interested for Rabastan? Isn't one black alliance enough?" she heard Father retort.

She heard Mr Lestrange cackle in response.

"Rabastan has specifically begged me for your daughters hand in marriage. And as for another alliance, why not? Gods knows, Rodolphus and Bellatrix will never give me grandchildren!"

She heard the other men laugh in room.

Marry Rabastan? She would rather die. The Lestrange men didn't exactly treat their wives kindly. They either gave them an affectionate distance like Rodolphus and Bellatrix or they were just cruel to them like Mr Lestrange can be at any of the women in his family apart from his wife.

"Lestrange isn't the only one who gets to request Violetta, I've put in my offer for the girl" She heard Mr Rosier say.

Evan was alright. A fanatical pureblood to the core, but he was much nicer than Rabastan.

Lettie wasn't exactly over joyed at the thought of all these men _requesting_ her like a filly to be bought and sold. Kneeling by the door, she started getting scared.

Maybe Mother and Father did mean it. Maybe marriage at 13 was a possibility. Standing up she returned to the ballroom, realising that she couldn't leave her own party for that long. Trapped in her own thoughts she didn't even realise she was about to bump into someone, though as an afterthought, he probably got in her way on purpose.

"Miss Violetta" A suave voice said to her. She recognised that drawl anywhere.

"Rabastan, a pleasure to see you again" She didn't curtsy to Rabastan because he wasn't the heir but she did incline her head to him, she may dislike Rabastan but her manners weren't completely gone.

Rabastan was very good looking, all the Lestranges were, but their atrocious and cruel personalities ruined it for them.

He grabbed her by the waist and pulled her too him so she was too close for her own comfort.

"Rabastan, you should know better than to touch a lady without her permission" She said clearly. Not afraid of him.

He merely laughed at her.

"Soon I will be able to touch you whenever I like and you will not be able to complain about it" He said, rubbing his hands up and down her small waist. She fidgeted in his company wanting to be free of him.

"Well soon is not now is it? So please un hand me Sir" She snapped at him, slapping his hands away.

Rabastan's eyes darkened. No one snapped at him, not even the black princess.

He grabbed her by the arm roughly, bruising the skin, to bring her closer to him so that he could whisper in her ear,

"Just you wait until we are married, the things I will be doing to you should land me in Azkaban but as you will be my wife, they will be completely legal" He hissed in her ear. Lettie struggled to get out of his grip but he held onto her tighter.

"If you don't obey me when we are married, I swear to god you will live to regret it." He spat at her nastily before pushing her away from him, hard enough to stumble un gracefully and then returned to his smirking demeanour as if nothing had happened.

He sauntered off to go speak to the other young gentlemen at the party. Lettie was left alone by the huge glass windows which let the dark, starry night shine through the glass making the room seem bigger…and scarier.

However, she wasn't left alone for long.

"Look at my little sister all grown up" she heard a deep voice say.

She turned to smile at Sirius, who was now completely healed of any cuts or bruises he may have had, however he walked with a bit of a limp but Sirius was so graceful in everything he did, he made it look elegant. She curtsied to him quickly.

"Hello Brother, having fun?" She quipped, referring the fact that his dress robes looked all ruffled, his face was red, his hair even more of a birds nest and she caught him earlier out of the corner of her eye leaving with Arabella Crouch.

Sirius just smirked back at her. "Gotta keep things interesting my darling sister, anyway, seen our brother, I have to thank him for earlier" Sirius said sarcastically although she could detect malice in his sentence.

Lettie sighed.

"You know that if both of you hadn't of egged the other on, you would of never have been taken to the fathers study Sirius" She looked at Sirius, eye glazed with concern.

Sirius shrugged.

"I'm used to being a disappointment to our parents. I just wasn't used to Reg being a typical Slytherin, maybe me and him have just grown too far apart. Do you remember when all 3 of us couldn't even be separated? I miss those days" Sirius said with a genuine meaning.

Lettie remembered those days fondly. Back when blood meant nothing to them because all 3 of them, even Sirius, believed in the same thing, until Sirius went to Hogwarts and changed the family dynamic.

But Lettie didn't blame him. She had said it before, she understood Sirius now.

Sirius shook his head, as if to shake the bad thoughts from him head and then smiled at her, bowing low to her,

"May I have this Dance, little miss birthday girl?" He held out his hand with elegance.

Lettie curtsied to him and accepted his hand.

Twirling round the dance floor, Sirius and Violetta relived memories from the past. Laughing and crying at some moments but it felt good bonding with her older brother. If only her younger brother was still the same person.

Speaking of the devil…

"May I cut in Brother?" asked a smooth, cool voice. Lettie turned around to face Regulus. She hadn't spoken to him since this morning.

Sirius scowled at him but not wanting to upset his sister's birthday, gestured for Regulus to take his place, to which, Regulus did.

Sirius then came behind his sister and whispered in her ear,

"If he upsets you let me know" Then he kissed her on the cheek and left her and Regulus. Regulus scowled after him.

Getting into a position, Regulus and Lettie started dancing.

"I apologise for hitting you this morning, it was wrong of me, please forgive me Violetta" he said softly to her.

Lettie just nodded and smiled at him. She couldn't stay made at Reggie for long, even if he did hit her. She didn't want to be angry with her brother at her birthday party.

He continued.

"I just don't like being told off by my younger sister, you should defer to my greater judgement, not argue with me, and it's most unbecoming of a young lady…"He said.

Lettie was now just staring at him, this just sounded like a back handed apology.

As he continued to whirl them both around the dance floor he continued to berate her.

"You see, recently, I have been talking to the heirs of most of the houses and they all agree that you are the catch of the season however they fear you aren't really wife material…you argue with me, you are not as demure as you once were and now you're voicing your political views, remember what Grandfather Arcturus always says, 'women should stay out of politics'…"Regulus said.

Lettie was shocked. Who was this boy? Where was the sweet, kind Regulus that she knew and loved?

Lettie pushed away from him.

"Reg, do not tell me off or berate me on my birthday, either dance with me or leave me alone…" She snapped, turning away from him. She needed to speak to a girl. Any girl…

Running outside into the gardens she heard muffled voices, as if they were whispering about something very secretive. She could hear Bellatrix's voice and Rabastan's and Rodolphus's…

Peering round the corner of a large ivy clustered wall she spotted about 7 or 8 people from her party all huddled round in what seemed like a very animated discussion.

"The dark lord is going to help us purebloods get back what truly belongs to us, me and Rodolphus have already been marked…" Bellatrix said excitedly, pulling up her sleeve to reveal a hideous tattoo.

However, the boys that were there where intrigued and amazed. Evan and Lucius Malfoy were there. As were Antonin Dolohov and the Crabbe heir, who at 20 was still un married. Though Lettie did understand why, he was vulgar and grotesque at the best of times.

Lettie stared at them openly now, visibly shocked at what she saw. Bellatrix noticed her.

"Ah little birthday girl, come to spy have we?" She cackled, the other laughing with her.

Lettie curtsied to them as most of the boys there were pureblood heirs and then shrugged indifferently and replied,

"I was just taking a stroll when I came across you Cousin, I would never spy on you, interesting tattoo Bellatrix, and does Uncle Cygnus know?" Lettie smiled at Bellatrix, although the smile had smirk in it.

Bellatrix hissed back at her.

"Not yet and if you tell him, you stupid little chit, I will make you regret it" She vowed, "Also, it's not a tattoo, it's the dark mark…only true believers of the dark lord get one" She said proudly.

Lettie walked over to the group. Not afraid of them.

"Why would you want to be marked by the dark lord? Seems rather odd if you ask me" She had heard about Lord Voldemort but she had always thought that although his intentions made sense, she thought they were un practical and extreme.

"No one did ask you, you stupid child, keep your opinions to yourself. Honestly Rab, why do you want to marry my cousin again?" Bellatrix snapped.

Rabastan just smiled at his sister in law and replied,

"Because I happen to love a challenge" To this everyone laughed. Lettie felt her cheeks grow hot and bothered, but she wasn't about to back down without a fight.

"I just think that his values aren't all they seem also Bellatrix, shouldn't you be providing an heir for the house of Lestrange instead of running of torturing mudbloods?" Lettie quipped.

But Bellatrix just smirked at her,

"What do you think your for little cousin?" At that once again, the boys and Bellatrix all laughed at her again, but Rabastan was more serious, he looked at Lettie with a strange look in his eyes, as if he wanted to impregnate her just by looking at her.

Lettie gulped and stood up straighter.

"You would have to drag me kicking and screaming down the aisle to make me marry that lump of dragon pox" Lettie said cruelly.

Bellatrix just replied by slapping her roughly round the face.

"Mind your manners child, it may be your birthday but I have no qualms with teaching you how to respect your superiors"

"Hope you don't mean yourself Bellatrix"

"Why you little…"

Bellatrix never finished the sentence as suddenly Regulus appeared. Bellatrix smiled at him, a real genuine smile.

"Regulus, come here, you'll appreciate this, I was just showing your sister before she was rude to me" Bellatrix sniffed, staring down her nose at Lettie.

Regulus walked towards them. Lettie felt a pair of arms around her waist and felt herself being pressed against Rabastan. She struggled against him but he just slapped her bottom and said, 'behave'.

"I'm not a dog" She snapped.

"Then don't struggle like one" He quipped back.

Lettie felt her cheeks go red. She was embarrassed but noticed that most of the other boys were still intrigued by Bellatrix's dark mark, as was Regulus.

"Wow, Bella, so he did it, he really did it!" Regulus said excitedly. It was the most joyous she had seen solemn Regulus in a while.

Bellatrix smiled at him, "One day, little cousin, you two shall receive one, then we can raise the black family to greater heights"

Bella and Regulus heaved with self-pride. Lettie just stared at her deranged cousin and insane brother. Regulus, what is happening to you?

She suddenly felt a hand against her bottom and felt it squeeze, she whirled around and pushed Rabastan square in the jaw.

"Ow! You insane bitch" Rabastan snarled at her.

Bella just rolled her eyes, Regulus and the other boys just stared in distain at her. Pureblood girls just put up with things, they are quiet and demure (unlike Bella, though she was an odd exception), if a gentlemen wished to touch them they would normally just put up with it, rather than make a scene of themselves. Regulus felt embarrassed.

"Rabastan, I apologise for my sister's behaviour, she has been out of sorts lately" Regulus politely said to Rabastan who was clutching his jaw, death staring Lettie. Lettie death stared him back, he wasn't going to lay his greasy hands upon her and get away with it.

"Regulus, he shouldn't touch a lady like that" She said to Regulus, pleading with him.

Regulus stared back at her coldly.

"If you acted more like a lady, he wouldn't of" He replied. Although Lettie knew that Rabastan Lestrange was such a creep that he would of done it, ladylike or not.

All the boys agreed with Regulus's statement. Bella just sighed.

"I do apologise boys for my little cousins behaviour, after all, it's her birthday, probably way past her bedtime and she has probably had a few too many pumpkin juices" Bella taunted at her.

"At least I'm not the dark lord's whore" The words came out of Lettie's mouth before she could stop herself.

Then she felt extreme pain. She didn't even hear Bella cast, 'crucio' but god did she feel it. It was as if she was drowning in a fire of poison. She didn't scream though, she writhed painfully and breathed heavily but she didn't scream. In the black family, you were punished with an unforgivable, you gradually built up a bit of a resistance to it, however, it still bloody hurt.

Finally Bella let up. Bella crouched to the floor and grabbed Lettie by her long, thick, curly black hair and pulled her up into standing.

"If you ever say that again, I will be using a different curse, a curse that kills you" Bellatrix hissed at her.

Lettie nodded and with watery eyes fled away from the group of wannabe death eaters back to her party. Breathing heavily, she sunk into a chair.

Her birthday really hasn't been going too well so far. The only person keeping her sane in this family was Sirius.

She was going to be married of too Rabastan Lestrange, Regulus was now this different person altogether, she was no longer her Mother and Fathers favourite and she had grown closer to the biggest blood traitor in the wizarding world, apart from the Weaselys, her brother, Sirius.

As she sat in her chair, her eyes downcast, her stance, prim and proper but very natural, she waited for someone to come speak to her. She hoped that seeing the birthday girl alone someone would come speak to her.

And they did.

"Now why does the Birthday Girl look so sad?" Uncle Alphard's voice jested.

Her head shot up to see a man about her Fathers age. He walked over to her with the usual black arrogance but Uncle Alphard was the kindest black she knew.

"Hello Uncle Alphard" Lettie stood up to make a curtsy but he waved her off,

"No need for that girl, you're the birthday girl today, you shouldn't have to curtsy to anyone" He said with a smile.

Lettie laughed. Uncle Alphard was the only person apart from Sirius and used to be Regulus who could make her smile genuinely.

"How were your travels Uncle?" She asked him politely as he sat down next to her, glass of whiskey in hand.

Uncle Alphard never married but always maintained a fun bachelor lifestyle, he was lucky that he wasn't the heir; otherwise his life would have been very different.

"Amazing, did you know African tribal wizards use tribal dances to call magic to them, they don't use wands! Can you believe it?" He said to her.

Lettie smiled and laughed, "That's so cool, did you bring back any souvenirs?"

Uncle Alphard smiled at her.

"Your birthday present is a souvenir"

"Oh really? Thank you Uncle!" Lettie said excitedly, getting up and hugging her Uncle, before realising what she had just done and pulled away from him.

Never had Lettie hugged anyone in her family, maybe her Grandmothers once or twice, her female cousins sometimes, Sirius and Regulus when Mother and Father weren't there but she had never hugged a male member of the family who wasn't Sirius and Regulus. She took a timid peak at her Uncles face who just looked amused.

"I'm not going to tell on your for hugging me. I always say to my siblings that hugging a child if normal and natural for a parent but of course they never listen to me, do not worry child, I was happy to receive your hug" he said with mirth.

To further his point, he reached out to Lettie and pulled her into a warm hug. It felt nice to be hugged by an adult.

Alphard had always disliked how prim and proper his family were and how little affection child in the black family were shown. His own mother, Irma Crabbe, was very affectionate but only when his father wasn't around as he would accuse her of molly coddling them. Irma always regretted this as although Alphard turned out relatively normal, he couldn't say the same for his older sister and younger brother.

Lettie smiled at him as he let her go and he smiled back at her. He had always loved Lettie and Sirius the most. He knew he shouldn't have favourites but he did. Sirius just reminded him of himself when he was a boy, all fun and games and cheekiness. As for Lettie she had changed recently, he always had a soft spot for her as she was the youngest child with what he saw as the biggest heart but recently she had started speaking out and becoming more independent. She needed someone to support her.

Alphard was worried about her. Just now, his second cousin was arranging her marriage to the Lestrange boy, who Alphard called, 'an insufferable pig'. He much preferred the Rosier boy for her, who would treat Lettie with more kindness than Rabastan, but he wasn't her father and he only had an opinion not a say. It was all because Raphael Lestrange had paid a considerable amount into the black family faults to have his two children wed into the black family. Any children produced from those unions would have extremely powerful blood.

After continuous chatting with his niece for a further hour, the night ended with an announcement made by Orion Black.

"Ladies and Gentleman, on this great night, I would like to conclude the evening with the announcement of the engagement of my daughter, Violetta Nova Black to Mr Rabastan Lestrange"

Many people clapped. Lettie swear she heard Sirius go, 'what!' but she didn't hear much else because she blacked out after that.

**Oh dear cliffhanger…kinda…not really. **

**I know a lot of what I'm writing can seem medieval in places but this is how I would imagine more purebloods to act, very bigoted and masochistic and sadist and blah blah blah. **

**I've tried to be as accurate as possible with dates and such. **

**Sirius is 16**

**Regulus is 14**

**Violetta is 13. **

**Just too clear things up. Anyway, next chapter should be out soon because now, I'm into my story so hopefully updates should be quick as lightening. **


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